Auto Buying Guide: New cars that get 40 mpg in real-world driving

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article appears in Auto Buying Guide 2017. Find the full magazine at http://gatehouse.morecontentnow.com/article/20170316/NEWS/303159999.

Subcompact cars like the Mitsubishi Mirage GT are generally the ones we think of when we imagine top-notch fuel economy. Or perhaps a discussion of efficiency brings to mind a single-focus vehicle like the top-selling green car past and present, the Toyota Prius. Although these are both excellent vehicles in their own right, some might say they come with a compromise, be it comfort, safety or fun. Three of the cars BestRide has tested this year returned about 40 mpg in real-world driving. Each is notable in that they are not only no-compromise cars, they are among the best in their individual segments.Honda CivicIf you have not been in a Civic in a while, you are in for a shock. This is a car that the EPA says falls within its guidelines for “midsize cars.” Our testers have recently tried two versions of the newly designed Civic. We first found ourselves in the 2016 Civic EX-T With Honda Sensing. In that CVT-equipped sedan, we got 40 mpg, which in our area meant it had a better cost per mile of fuel than an electric car would.In February we tested the Civic Hatch Sport with its 180-horsepower turbocharged engine and six-speed manual. It’s a fun car to drive, a Top Safety Pick, affordable at less than $23K, and it’s roomy. In mixed suburban and highway driving, we again got 40 mpg. We verified the car’s display by doing the math at the pump, and the Civic is a real-world, 40-mpg-car — as long as you stay out of stop-and-go traffic.Lexus ES 300hInterestingly, our next car actually gets its best mileage in city traffic.The plush and comfortable Lexus ES 300h is a hybrid. Its strengths include standard active safety features other brands charge extra for, supreme comfort, a huge interior, legendary reliability and the ability to get 40 mpg in the city, according to the EPA.This is a sedan that is very competitive in its class. At about $50K it is not inexpensive, but compared to its peers, it is a relatively good value.In our mixed suburban testing in winter conditions (and using winter-blend fuel), we can report 38 mpg. However, during our single tank of fuel, we drove into Boston. We were in stop-and-go traffic for two hours.During that time, the displayed mileage went up from 38 mpg.Due to its hybrid regenerative braking, ability to creep forward in traffic using zero gasoline, and stop-start technology, the ES 300h actually increases its efficiency in the city. This is not a plug-in car — it’s a hybrid that uses regular unleaded fuel.Honda Accord Hybrid TouringA big part of the overall success of the 48 mpg EPA-combined Honda Accord Hybrid Touring is its Sport mode. In his BestRide review, Philip Ruth wrote, “In Sport, there was little need to ask for more power, because the initial kick was so much stronger. This led to an uncommon feeling of driving confidence for a hybrid.”With 212 horsepower, the Accord Hybrid Touring is more powerful by a significant margin than the mainstream, four-cylinder, midsize four-door crowd. Since it is a Top Safety Pick Plus, comes loaded for $36K and “reminded us that pretty much every Accord we’ve driven feels ready to hustle,” it is easy to call the Accord Hybrid Touring a 40 mpg real-world car with no compromises.